TEN RULES FOR HEALTHY EATING

I have had some requests to offer my opinion on diet. It is always a controversial topic and a subject about which one could write volumes. Here are 10 points, in no particular order and by no means fully comprehensive that I believe are important to good health. Feel free to comment or add to my list.

1.    There is no evil macro nutrient.
Quality Carbohydrates, fats and protein are all essential and should be eaten in quantities that match your energy requirements and according to what works for your metabolism. There is no one size fits all!

2.    Do carbs make you fat?
No, refined sugars and processed rubbish makes you fat! Being overweight or obese through years of eating pies, chips, white bread, pizza, cake, pastries, sweets, beer etc as a part of a staple diet, leads many people to falsely conclude that carbohydrates are the enemy. Don’t get me wrong, most people would do well to reduce their carbohydrate intake particularly when weight loss is the goal, but be careful not to base your decision to cut out all carbohydrates on your past experience of over indulging on primarily low grade processed carbohydrate rich foods. See 1 above.

3.    Eat fruit, it’s good for you
I recommend two to three servings per day.

4.    Eat more vegetables, you probably don’t eat enough.
Five or more servings per day, and choose from a variety of colours.

5.    Eat more protein, you probably don’t eat enough.
I recommend a minimum of 1g per kg body mass, and 1.5 to 2g per kg body mass for active people. (More is required if your protein is coming primarily from vegetables).

6.    If you eat enough protein, you probably eat enough fat.
If you are getting enough protein from a variety of sources, eg meat, fish, chicken, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, you’re likely getting enough fat in your diet.

7.    Calorie counting is not an exact science, don’t obsess about it.
Chances are, with discrepancies in food databases, labeling and quantities, there is a discrepancy between the number of calories you count and what you’re actually consuming. ( by some estimations, you could be up to about 20% out). So don’t obsess too much over calorie counting unless you’re a body builder or fitness athlete. It is however a good idea to go through the exercise of tracking your food, and counting your calories over a period of time in order to develop an understanding of the calorie content of food, and an intuition for how much you should be eating. Calorie counting is something you can return to from time to time, to see that you’re staying on track, but once you have developed that intuition, and settled into a routine, don’t obsess about it.

8.    Eat Regularly
Purely anecdotal, but the people I see with the best physiques have regular eating times. Whether you choose to eat three or six meals per day, I believe establishing a routine will benefit you.

9.    Take care of your gut
If your gut isn’t working and you’re not effectively absorbing nutrients and regulating toxins, your fitness goals, immune function and overall health will suffer. Kefir is evidently a very good probiotic, and rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory properties, so is a good option for many to help restore your gut health.

10.  Your diet is not a religion.(unless you choose to eat in a certain way for religious or ethical reasons)

You will not be angering the diet gods if you deviate from a prescribed way of eating. Paleo, Banting, Atkins, Weight Watchers, all have merit, but there may be aspects of a diet or eating philosophy that don’t agree with your system. There is no reason why you cannot combine the good elements from various diets to find what works for you. If you find yourself asking ..’am I allowed this or am I allowed that…’ too often, the diet is probably too restrictive for you to sustain in the long term.

 Ashley Galliard August 2015

TOP TEN EXERCISE TIPS

I thought I would put together a list of things to be aware of whilst on your exercise journey, however far along you may be. It is not in any particular order, and is by no means all you need to consider, so feel free to add to it. I haven’t really elaborated on any point as I intend to address each point in more detail during the next few weeks. Note, the advice given assumes that you are fit and healthy to perform a normal routine of exercise. If you have any injury, medical condition, or the like, always consult a specialist before embarking on an exercise routine.

1. Lift Weights

Whatever your goal, the appropriate type, intensity and volume of resistance training will help you achieve it.

2. Build your routine around free weights

Exercise machines definitely have their place, but free weights, ie barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls etc will develop a stronger, more balanced and functional physique. Do both, but build your routine around free weights.

3. Perfect your form

Good exercise form is the key to good results and training longevity. If you can’t lift a light weight with good form, you’re not ready to go heavy.

4. Pay more attention to ecentric muscle contraction.

Ecentric muscle contraction is when a muscle contracts under load whilst lengthening as opposed to concentric contraction, when the muscle contracts whilst shortening. Developing control during the eccentric phase of an exercise promotes greater strength and muscle growth; it puts your body in the right possition for the concentric phase, it promotes body control and improves explosive power. So, don't just drop a weight after lifting or pushing or pulling, practice control.

5. Fix your movement pattern

Muscle imbalances, asymmetry and inflexibility around joints are the major causes of injury. Include corrective exercises specific to your needs, into your daily routine. It is always a good idea to speak to an exercise specialist to help identify problems with your movement and advise on corrective action.

6. Work your hamstrings

Chances are, your quadriceps are disproportionately too strong for your hamstrings, resulting in performance deficits and making the knee joint vulnerable to injury. Include more hamstring work into your exercise routine eg leg curls, dead lifts, RDL, squat and lunge variations etc.

7. Work your glutes (the unsung heroes)

They’re probably too weak. Strong glutes help stabilize the pelvis, help prevent lower back pain and injury, are important for good posture, and are essential for strength, power and performance. Do more squats and lunge variations, abduction (side leg lifts) and hip extension work.

8. Stretch your hip flexors

They’re probably too tight. Tight hip flexors cause postural problems, lower back pain, pelvic instability and hinder the activation of glutes.

9. Develop the core vertically

Most targeted core exercises are done in the horizontal plane (either on your back or stomach). Many of these exercises are very beneficial, but most of life and performance happens in the vertical plane. We don’t spend enough time developing the stability and strength of the core in an upright position. Add some rotational movements and stability work while standing.

10. Rest and Recover
Rest and recovery is an essential component in achieving results. It is during rest that we repair and grow stronger and more resilient. Plan your rest and recovery as meticulously as you plan your exercise schedule – it is a vital, yet largely overlooked part of your overall programme.

(Ashley Galliard August 2015)

REACH YOUR WEIGHT GOALS BY FOCUSSING ON PERFORMANCE

One can become so obsessed with losing weight, that logic and tried and tested principles give way to quick fixes and extreme measures. In desperation we resort to starving ourselves and simultaneously increasing our exercise in pursuit of shedding those unwanted kilo’s. This often only results in muscle breakdown, the slowing of your metabolism, possible fat gain, exhaustion, illness and frustration.

If this is you, it’s time to throw away the scale, and change your focus from weight loss, to PERFORMANCE.

Every health and fitness goal has a performance component (the means by which to achieve your goals), and there is a strong correlation between the way our bodies perform and the changes we can expect to see. Our bodies adapt according to the performance demands placed on them. For example: If I want to lose fat weight, in a way that is healthy and sustainable, I need to exercise for an optimal duration and intensity, and I need to progressively increase my duration and or intensity over time at an optimal rate to continue to see results. If I am unable to do this, through for example inadequate nutrition, it stands to reason that I won’t achieve the desired goals.

When you focus on performance there is a shift in mindset. Rather than focusing on doing whatever it takes to lose weight, no matter how illogical or unhealthy, your focus shifts to what you need to do to perform optimally and meet the progressive demands placed on your body over time. Consistently applying an over load, and consistently performing optimally will inevitably produce results.

So, instead of starving yourself and over exercising, when your focus is on performance, you approach your training and lifestyle with the following logic:-

• If I under-eat, I will lack energy, feel anxious, sore and generally ill. I will not be able to recover or perform optimally, and won’t therefore achieve my goals.
• If I skip my scheduled exercise sessions, I will not be able to apply a progressive overload, to achieve my goals.
• If I progress too quickly and do substantially more during my workouts than I am conditioned for, my performance will decline over time and I run the risk of injury, illness and burnout, affecting my performance and therefore my goals.
• If I don’t get enough rest, I won’t recover adequately, I will be too tired to perform and I will create a hormonal environment in my body that will hinder my performance and I therefore won’t achieve my goals.

So rather than focusing on weight loss, and placing unreasonable expectations on your body, driving yourself mad in the process, focus on performance and given time, your body will deliver!

Ashley Galliard August 2015